2002 Ford Focus Electrical System:ignition Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION · data through 07/12/2026

124Electrical System:ignition complaints

13.2%Of all 939 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system:ignition ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION124 · 13.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM76 · 8.1%

TIRES52 · 5.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH51 · 5.4%

SUSPENSION45 · 4.8%

Share of the 939 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Ford Focus overview page.

What owners report

“THIS IS MY SECOND FORD, FOCUS. MY CAR STALLS OUT AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHILE DRIVING. I INITIATED THE LEMON LAW FOR THE PREVIOUS…”NHTSA complaint 764375 — filed 07/17/2002

“WHILE TRAVELING ON TURNPIKE AT 55 MPH, VEHICLE HESITATED MOMENTARILY AS THOUGH A SPARK PLUG WAS MISSFIRED. OWNER WILL SEND DETAILS AFTER FORD INSPECTS VEHICLE.”NHTSA complaint 8011358 — filed 06/10/2002

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System:ignition complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Ford Focus have electrical system:ignition problems?

Electrical System:ignition is the most-reported problem area on the 2002 Ford Focus: 124 of 939 complaints on file (13.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Ford Focus have in total?

939 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 82 involved a crash, 20 involved a fire, 78 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system:ignition category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.